Portable folding cup

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a portable folding cup which is foldable so as to be portable. That is, the cup is used in an expanded state and is carried or stored in a folded state. As a result, with the portable folding cup, it is possible to maximize the space use efficiency. The portable folding cup includes a main body in the form of a truncated pyramid, which has a plurality of trapezoid faces connected to each other in a manner such that each border between adjacent trapezoid faces can be smoothly folded, is open at an upper end and a lower end thereof, and has an empty inside space therein, and a bottom member attached to a portion of an inside surface of the cup main body so as to be folded up or down and to form a bottom of a cup.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a folding cup which is foldable so asto be portable, and more particularly to a portable folding cup by whichit is possible to maximize space use efficiency by allowing the size ofthe cup to be reduced when the cup is carried or stored. That is, theinvention relates to a technique of folding a cup which has apredetermined shape to contain things therein. The portable folding cupis in an expanding state when it is used but in a folded state when itis carried, so the cup occupies only a small space when it is carried orstored.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally it is inconvenient to carry a cup because the cup has a largevolume. For such a reason, people have used disposable cups when it isneeded to use cups outdoors rather than carrying cups.

In the case of using portable paper cups or vinyl cups, people generallycarry or store the paper or vinyl cups in a stacked state in which aplurality of cups are stacked.

In the case in which the cups are stored in the stacked state, the formsof the cups are maintained, but there is a problem in that the stack ofthe cups has a large volume due to its height. Accordingly, when tryingto carry the plurality of cups, there is a problem in that deformationof the cups may occur because the stack of cups is likely to receiveshocks or be subject to pressure while being carried.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

The invention is conceived in view of the above-mentioned problems andan object of the invention is to provide a portable folding cup which isfoldable so as to be portable, which can be reused many times, hardlyleaks after being used many times, is convenient to use and carry, andis foldable in a simple way.

Technical Solution

In order to accomplish the object of the invention,

there is provided a portable folding cup including a cup main body inthe form of a truncated pyramid, which has a plurality of trapezoidfaces and opens at an upper end and a lower end thereof, and a bottommember attached to a portion of an inside surface of the cup main bodyand folded up or down so as to form the bottom of a cup.

It is preferable that edges which are borders between adjacent faces beconfigured in a manner of being folded smoothly.

It is preferable that the bottom member include a bottom face which hasthe same shape as the lower end of the cup main body, has an areasmaller than that of the upper end of the cup main body and larger thanthat of the lower end of the cup main body, and is attached to a portionof the inside surface of the cup main body so it is foldable up or down,and an elastic member which connects the bottom face to a portion of thelower end of the main body.

It is preferable that the elastic member include a first elastic memberwhich connects an edge portion of the bottom face, which is at anopposite side of an attached side at which the bottom face is attachedto the cup main body, to an edge portion of the lower end of the cupmain body at the attached side and a second elastic member whichconnects an edge portion of the bottom member, which is at the attachedside, to an edge portion of the lower end of the cup main body which isat the opposite side, and the elastic member be in a form of an elasticfilm attached to a portion of the lower end of the cup main body at oneedge thereof to a center portion of the bottom face at a center portionthereof.

It is preferable that a portion of the bottom face, which is notattached to the inside surface of the main body, be sealed with amaterial, such as rubber.

It is preferable that the portable folding cup further include a sealingmember which surrounds the lower end of the main body.

According to the invention described above, the cup becomes flat whenthe cup is folded. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the spaceoccupied by the cups in comparison with conventional cups. That is, whenstoring a plurality of cups, it is possible to store a large number ofcups in a small space and it is convenient to carry the cups in a bag.

When the cup is expanded, since the bottom member is automaticallyexpanded down by the elastic member connected to the bottom member, itis easy to use the cups. Further, the sealing member made of waterproofmaterial such as rubber is provided at the lower end portion of the cup,and it is possible to prevent liquid in the cup from leaking owing to adouble waterproof structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a folded state of a portablefolding cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a motion of folding a bottommember of the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view illustrating a combining structure of a bottommember of the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is an elastic member of a bottom member of the portable foldingcup according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a sealingmember is additionally provided to the portable folding cup according toone embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a process of folding theportable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a combined structure of anelastic member in the form of an elastic film in the portable foldingcup according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a combined structure of an elasticmember in the form of an elastic film in the portable folding cupaccording to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a combined structure of an elastic memberin the form of an elastic film in the portable folding cup according toone embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a developed view illustrating the portable folding cupaccording to one embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF KEY ELEMENTS IN DRAWINGS

10: Cup main body 20: Bottom member

21: Bottom face 22: First elastic member

23: Second elastic member

24: Elastic member receiving hole

25: Sealing rubber 26: Elastic file

30: Sealing member

MODE FOR THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a preferred mode of the invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a folded sate of a portablefolding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2 is asectional view illustrating a motion of folding a bottom member of theportable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, FIG.3 is a bottom view illustrating a combining structure of a bottom memberof the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of theinvention, FIG. 4 is an elastic member of a bottom member of theportable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, FIG.5 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a sealing memberis additionally provided to the portable folding cup according to oneembodiment of the invention, FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating aprocess of folding the portable folding cup according to one embodimentof the invention, FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a combinedstructure of an elastic member in the form of an elastic film in theportable folding cup according to one embodiment of the invention, FIG.8 is a plan view illustrating a combined structure of an elastic memberin the form of an elastic film in the portable folding cup according toone embodiment of the invention, FIG. 9 is a sectional view of acombined structure of an elastic member in the form of an elastic filmin the portable folding cup according to one embodiment of theinvention, and FIG. 10 is a developed view illustrating the portablefolding cup according to one embodiment of the invention.

As shown in the drawings, the portable folding cup consists of a cupmain body 10 which has a truncated pyramid, is empty and has open upperand lower ends, and a bottom member 20 attached to a portion of aninside surface of the cup main body and folded up or down so as to forma bottom of a cup.

The edges, i.e. borders at which adjacent faces of the cup main body 10meet, are configured to be folded smoothly.

The bottom member 20 has a rectangular shape which is the same as ashape of the lower end of the cup main body 10, and is smaller than anarea of the upper end of the cup main body and larger than an area ofthe lower end of the cup main body. The bottom member 20 includes abottom face 21 attached to some portion of the inside surface of the cupmain body and is foldable upward or downward and elastic members 22 and23, each of which connects one edge of the lower end of the cup mainbody to the bottom face.

The portable folding cup may further consist of a sealing member 30structure to surround the lower end of the cup main body.

As shown in FIG. 10, some portions of the bottom face 21 other than aportion attached to the inside surface of the cup main body are providedwith sealing rubber 25. Accordingly, the bottom face 21 which isexpanded downward by the elastic members 22 and 23 when the cup isexpanded comes to meet the inside surface of the cup main body 10 andthus liquid contained in the cup does not leak.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the elastic members consist of a firstelastic member 22 which connects a first edge of the bottom face 21,which is the opposite side edge of a second edge attached to the cupmain body, to an edge of the lower end of the cup main body and a secondelastic member 23 which connects in reverse, i.e. which connects thefirst edge of the bottom face, which is attached to the cup main body,to the opposite side edge of the lower end of the cup main body, and theelastic members are arranged to form a letter X shape.

Since the elastic members connect the bottom face to the cup main bodywhile they stretch in the form of the letter X shape, it is possible tominimize interference between the elastic members when the cup is foldedand thus the cup can be smoothly folded.

Thanks to such a connection method, when the bottom face 21 is expandedtoward the lower end of the cup main body, the elastic members 22 and 23have the minimum length. Such connection of the elastic members allowsthe cup to be folded when the bottom face 21 is folded up towards theupper end of the cup main body in order to fold the cup, and makes thebottom face be pulled down toward the lower end of the cup main body byelastic force of the elastic members 22 and 23. That is, such aconnection makes the bottom face be automatically expanded by theelastic force so as to form the bottom of the cup.

The cup main body and the elastic members are connected in the followingmanner. One edge of the bottom face 21, which is at an attached side atwhich the bottom face is attached to the cup main body, is connected toone edge of the lower end of the cup main body, the edge being at theopposite side (referred to as non-attached side) of the attached side bythe first elastic member 22.

The non-attached side edge of the bottom face 21 is connected to theattached side edge of the lower end of the cup main body 10 by thesecond elastic member 23.

The connection of the elastic members will be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 3, when the cup is viewedfrom below, the elastic members seem like a number “11.” As shown inFIG. 2, when the cup is viewed sideways, the elastic members seem like aletter “X.”

The elastic members may be made of elastic material, such as rubber anda spring. The connection structure of the elastic members may bemodified according to the kind of elastic members used.

In addition, the entire lower end of the cup main body may be sealed bywrapping the lower end portion of the cup main body with sealing rubbermade of rubber or latex. With this structure, it is possible to preventthe liquid in the cup from leaking.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, the elastic members may beembodied in the form of an elastic film 26 made of elastic rubber orlatex. The elastic film is attached to the lower end of the cup mainbody in a manner of surrounding the lower end of the cup main body. Inanother way, the elastic film may be attached to the cup main body in amanner such that one end portion of the elastic film is attached to theinside surface near the lower end of the cup main body and a centerportion of the elastic film 26 is attached to a center portion of thebottom face 21. With this structure, the elastic film 26 can function asa sealing member as well as an elastic member.

Hereinafter, a method of folding and expanding the cup will bedescribed.

With reference to FIG. 6, if the bottom face disposed at a lower endportion of the expanded cup is pushed up so as to overlap the insidesurface of the cup main body and then pressure is put on one corner ofthe expanded cup and the obliquely opposite corner of the expanded cup,the cup is folded.

When pressure is put on both corners of the folded cup, which areobliquely opposite to each other, the cup is expanded. As the cup isexpanded, an empty space is formed inside the expanded cup. At thistime, the bottom face is pulled up toward the empty space and then theedges of the bottom face can come into contact with the inner surfacesof the cup main body. At this time, since the sealing rubber is attachedto three edges of the bottom face, it is possible to prevent the liquidin the cup from leaking.

After a long period of use, if the elasticity of the elastic member isdecreased, the used out elastic member may be replaced with an elasticmember in order to prevent liquid from leaking. Alternatively, pressuremay be artificially put on the bottom face from the upside so that theedges of the bottom face and the inside surfaces of the cup main bodycan be securely combined. Using this method, it is also possible toprevent liquid in the cup from leaking.

On the other hand, in the case in which a sealing film which haselasticity and is deformable is used in order to more surely preventliquid from leaking, a folding motion of the cup does not negativelyaffect the cup when the cup is folded since the sealing film can bedeformed. Accordingly, this structure also can prevent liquid fromleaking and the lifespan of the cup may be prolonged.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in theart that the present invention is not limited to the exemplaryembodiments described herein but a number of changes, modifications, oralterations to the invention as described herein may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present invention. All such changes,modifications and alterations should therefore be seen as within thescope of the present invention.

1. A portable folding cup comprising: a main body in the form of atruncated pyramid, which has a plurality of trapezoid faces connected toeach other in a manner such that each border between adjacent trapezoidfaces can be smoothly folded, which is open at an upper end and a lowerend thereof, and which has an empty inside space therein; and a bottommember attached to a portion of an inside surface of the cup main bodyso as to be folded up or down and to form a bottom of a cup.
 2. Theportable folding cup according to claim 1, wherein the bottom membercomprises: a bottom face which has the same shape as the lower end ofthe cup main body, is smaller than an area of the upper end of the cupmain body, is larger than an area of the lower end of the cup main body,and is attached to a portion of the inside surface of the cup main bodyin a manner of being folded up or down; and an elastic member whichconnects the bottom face to a portion of the lower end of the cup mainbody.
 3. The portable folding cup according to claim 1, wherein thebottom face is provided with sealing rubber at edges thereof which arenot attached to the inside surface of the cup main body.
 4. The portablefolding cup according to claim 1, further comprising: a sealing memberstructured in a manner of surrounding the lower end of the cup mainbody.
 5. The portable folding cup according to claim 2, wherein theelastic member comprises: a first elastic member which connects an edgeportion of the bottom face, which is at an opposite side of an attachedside to an edge portion of the lower end of the cup main body; and asecond elastic member which connects an edge portion of the bottom faceat the attached side to an edge portion of the lower end of the cup mainbody at the opposite side, wherein the elastic member looks like anumber “11” when it is viewed from an underside of the portable foldingcup and like a letter “X” when it is viewed from a sideways view of theportable folding cup.
 6. The portable folding cup according to claim 2,wherein the elastic member is in a form of an elastic film, is attachedto an edge of the lower end of the cup main body at an edge and isattached to a center portion of the bottom face at a center portionthereof.